IND vs ZIM pitch report: Zimbabwe are set to host the Indian cricket team in the first T20I match at Harare Sports Club in Harare on Saturday, July 7. Indian cricket team will be returning to action for the first time since their historic triumph in the T20 World Cup 2024 last month.
The new T20 world champions have named a young side as the majority of the senior players have been rested after T20 World Cup glory. Shubman Gill will be leading the team with young guns Abhishek Sharma, Riyan Parag, Harshit Rana, Mukesh Kumar and Dhruv Jurel looking to grab their first T20I cap.
Sikandar Raza-led Zimbabwe team missed the T20 World Cup 2024 action after a poor show in the qualifiers. The veterans Craig Ervine and Sean Williams are missing out in the new-look team while Ryan Burl, Joylord Gumbie and Ainsley Ndlovu were dropped from the previous T20 squad against Bangladesh in May this year.
IND vs ZIM, Harare Sports Club Pitch Report
The surface at Harare Sports Club usually offers a balanced surface in T20 cricket. However, the pacers are unlikely to get any help due to an afternoon fixture and fans can expect a flat surface. Batters are likely to find it easy to score big runs on a fresh surface in the opening game. The average first innings score here is 152 with teams batting first winning 29 of 50 T20I games so far.
Harare venue T20 numbers
T20I Matches: 50
Matches won batting first: 29
Matches won bowling first: 20
Average first innings score: 152
Average second innings score: 133
Highest total scored: 229/2 by Australia vs Zimbabwe
Highest score chased: 194/5 by Bangladesh vs Zimbabwe
Lowest total recorded: 35/10 by Zimbabwe vs Sri Lanka
Lowest total defended: 129/10 by Zimbabwe vs Afghanistan
IND vs ZIM 1st T20I squads
India: Shubman Gill (c), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Abhishek Sharma, Riyan Parag, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Rinku Singh, Washington Sundar, Avesh Khan, Mukesh Kumar, Khaleel Ahmed, Ravi Bishnoi, Sai Sudharsan, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Tushar Deshpande, Harshit Rana.
Zimbabwe: Brian Bennett, Tadiwanashe Marumani, Sikandar Raza (c), Johnathan Campbell, Clive Madande (wk), Innocent Kaia, Wessly Madhevere, Luke Jongwe, Wellington Masakadza, Blessing Muzarabani, Richard Ngarava, Tendai Chatara, Brandon Mavuta, Dion Myers, Faraz Akram, Antum Naqvi.
